The Joseph Vijay government has informed the Madras High Court that it has abandoned the proposed ₹100-crore Vallalar International Centre project that was planned at the Peruvazhi (Peruveli) grounds adjoining the Vallalar Sathya Gnana Sabhai in Vadalur, Cuddalore district, as reported in Hindu Tamil.
The project, which was approved during the previous DMK government, received administrative sanction through a Government Order issued on 5 October 2023. It proposed the establishment of an international centre across nearly 71 acres of open land in front of the Vallalar Sathya Gnana Sabhai. Preliminary work had begun before the project became embroiled in legal disputes.
Several petitions were subsequently filed before the Madras High Court, both opposing and supporting the project. Separate petitions also challenged the reclassification of agricultural land located about one kilometre from the Sathya Gnana Sabhai for the construction of facilities such as an old-age home and a Siddha hospital.
Earlier, the High Court had pointed out alleged procedural violations in obtaining the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) and imposed an interim stay on all construction activities related to the international centre at the Peruveli until fresh orders were issued.
At the same time, the court permitted construction activities on the land located around one kilometre away from the Sathya Gnana Sabhai, observing that the Director of Town and Country Planning had granted approval for the land reclassification after following the prescribed rules.
When the batch of cases came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Justices G. Jayachandran and S. Soundar, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department informed the court that the Vallalar International Centre project at the Peruveli had been dropped.
Appearing for the HR&CE Department, government counsel R. Paraneetharan submitted that the government would instead implement an alternative plan at a different location. The proposed facilities would include a library, auditorium, yoga centre and old-age home, ensuring that the annual Jyothi Darshan at the Vallalar Sathya Gnana Sabhai would not be affected.
The counsel further informed the court that the 71-acre land belonging to the Sathya Gnana Sabhai would be protected from encroachments by constructing a compound wall around the property.
Recording the submission, the High Court directed the authorities to fill the pits that had already been dug at the Peruveli for the abandoned international centre project and restore the land to its original condition.
The bench also observed that the decision to establish a library, yoga centre and old-age home at an alternative location was a matter of government policy. It permitted the authorities to immediately begin constructing the compound wall around the 71-acre property and adjourned the hearing by four weeks.
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